


My Only Sunshine (A retelling of Orpheus)

by Lost_in_Paradise



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, One-Shot, Orpheus - Freeform, Singing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-11
Updated: 2014-10-11
Packaged: 2018-02-20 17:48:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2437568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lost_in_Paradise/pseuds/Lost_in_Paradise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A retelling of Orpheus with Nico and Will Solace</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Only Sunshine (A retelling of Orpheus)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Hey Hey. I just finished Blood of Olympus and I am an emotional wreck. So Solangelo fic!!!! I do not own these characters or the song. I used the version by Elizabeth Mitchell and made a few changes to the last verse
> 
> *Btw I used to be a pretty hardcore Percico shipper (and percabeth/jasico/ghostfire too, not picky about my ships). See if you can spot the teeny tiny reference! ^^
> 
> **I also just got a Wattpad. If you have one, follow me: ColdImmortalHands

Nico felt a tear slip down his cheek. He was sitting next to Will Solace listening to some of the Apollo kids singing a song they’d composed. The story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Nico felt someone wipe the droplet away. 

“Why aren’t you up there singing?” Nico whispered.

“You’ve heard my musical talent.” Will shot back.

“You can be the dying screams of the damned.” 

“Put a sock in it, Death Boy.” 

Nico grinned and returned his attention back to the music. The Apollo kids’ harmony was flawless. They were singing about Lord Hades weeping, Nico didn’t think his dad would be enthralled with this part of the story. Will nudged him again.

“Orpheus was the son of a muse and Apollo.”

“Yeah, so?”

“I can’t sing, so if I die you’ll have to trek down to save me.”

Nico felt his spine tingle but he forced himself to respond lightly, “I just won’t look at you on the way up.”

“It’ll be difficult, as lovely as I am.” 

Nico laughed quietly.

They had reached the part of the story were Orpheus broke his promise and looked back. The Apollo kids sang so mournfully they might have been there themselves. Will Solace laced his fingers around Nico’s and rested his blond head on his shoulder.

Nico squeezed his hand and listened to the final notes reverberate through the air.

***

“Well? What’s going on?” Nico demanded.

Will sighed and blew a lock of blond hair out of his face. “I’m trying to heal these idiots, why the hell did I have to be picked to go with Conner and Travis?” 

Nico looked at Chiron who shrugged. “We needed someone who could keep them alive and in check.”

Will gave them a disgruntled look. “Yeah well, I have to go keep them from stealing the Muses’ instruments. See you around Chiron, Nico.” 

The rainbow faded and Nico pushed his dark hair out of his eyes. Chiron sighed, “Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to send Connor and Travis but this was important to Hermes and Will is the only one who can handle them.” 

Nico twisted the gold band around his wrist (present from Will), “All the same I wish we could have sent a larger force. The activity in that area....” He trailed off. A camper came in to talk to Chiron and Nico stood up to leave. He walked out onto the porch and leaned against the railing. The sun was setting, spreading beautiful orangey gold and pinkish purples across Camp Half-Blood. Nico fingered the gold bracelet circling his wrist. He traced the symbols with his fingers, an arrow and a pomegranate. Apollo and Hades, Will had the same bracelet in silver . 

Nico set off for his cabin. He hadn’t gotten around to remodeling but as he was the only one in it he hadn’t felt rushed. Nico had some books to read (funeral rites; demigods kept dying like heroes, someone had to bury them) but he was too distracted by thoughts of Will. Why him? The area around Manhattan was teeming with monsters right now. Nico drifted off with uneasy dreams. Memories of Tartarus coupled with the ghosts of Asphodel. He was running through a crowed of spirits trying to reach the blond haired boy, but he was always out of reach. Eventually he found him but as he reached out to touch him his hand fell through. Will Solace was transparent, his voice like a choir of bats. Nico screamed and the roof began to chip and crack.....

Nico sat bolt upright in the bunk. The sunlight filtered through and birds chirped. Nico hated birds. Something was wrong. People were running and yelling, and some people were crying. Nico leapt out of bed. He was wearing the clothes from yesterday and he didn’t care. He flung open the door and everyone stopped dead. Travis was out cold, he was bleeding from pretty much everywhere and his left arm was bend oddly. Conner could walk but was burned and limping. Both were being supported by campers. Nico walked right up to Chiron. 

“Where is Will Solace?” he said grounding out the words.

Chiron stared at him eyes a thousand miles away. The centaur placed a round cold object in Nico’s hand and started directing people to help the Stoll brothers. Nico couldn’t breathe. He opened his hand and saw Will’s silver bracelet. The campers that were still surrounding him all suddenly moved back. A circle of decay spread out. The grass withered and died and the ground began to crack. Someone, maybe Jason, reached out for him and something shattered. Nico screamed and everyone was suddenly overcome by waves of anger, hurt, and sadness. Whoever was touching him recoiled and Nico strode off. He walked right up to the infirmary ignoring everyone who reached out to him. 

Will was lying on the bed. No, not Will. Will’s mortal shell. Will’s beautiful, perfect, sun-kissed shell. The boy who had literally brought Nico back to life was nothing more than a husk. Nico sobbed silently his tears falling onto Will. He cried for what felt like forever before he couldn’t cry anymore. Nico wiped his eyes and leaned down, pressing a kiss to Will’s forehead. 

“I will not leave you down in the Underworld. I will bring you back here, to Camp Half-Blood. To me. I swear it on the River Styx.”

Nico grabbed the nearest Apollo kid by the front of the shirt.

“Do not burn his body. Do not touch his body. Do not look at his body. Do not even breathe in the same general direction as his body until I get back.” The terrified girl nodded and Nico shouldered past her. He ran straight into a shadow and melted, reforming in his cabin. He changed his clothes, still black of course, and grabbed his stygian iron sword. He went right back into the shadow and popped out in the Underworld. He’d meant to appear in Hades’ palace but no. His life couldn’t be that easy.

“Ah yes. Nico di Angelo.” Charon said in a bored tone. “I expect you are here on your unauthorized quest for true love.”

Nico glared at him. “Yes. Now please, I don’t know how much time I have.”

“Oh!” Charon laughed. “You don’t want Mr. Solace to reach Elysium before you can reach him.” 

Nico grimaced. “Help me.” 

“You have to pay the toll.” Charon’s eyes suddenly burned with a green flame. “As you are reenacting the ill-fated journey of Orpheus, music would be perfect.”

Nico felt himself start to lose it. “I don’t have music.”

“Pity,” Charon shrugged, “I guess Mr. Solace isn’t worth that much to you after all.”

Nico wanted to scream. He frantically racked his brain for a song. The only one that came up was an old song written around the time he was young. It was so laughably cliche but it was all he had. He decided to risk it. Sending out a quick prayer to Apollo, he started. It was slightly shaky at first but his clear tenor strengthened and soared.

You are my sunshine  
My only sunshine  
You make me happy  
When skies are grey  
You’ll never know dear  
How much I love you  
Please don’t take my sunshine away.

Will pretended to roll his eyes whenever Nico sang it to him because Nico mostly used it to tease him. Son of the sun god and all that. This time was different. Nico felt a slight power leaving him.The band on his wrist glowed softly. He wondered if Apollo had blessed him, if Apollo wanted Nico to save Will, to succeed where Orpheus had failed. A sniffle made him look up.

The entire waiting room of ghosts was silent. Charon had tears running down his eyeless sockets. 

“Right this way.” Charon motioned blowing his nose.

Nico got on the boat. The River Styx flowed, polluted with the hopes and dreams of countless eras of humanity. Nico wondered if Percy’s sea green eyes were there somewhere. Nico watched as a ghostly figure of a woman floated by and a spirit on the boat cried a little, reaching for the vision. He wouldn’t, he couldn’t let Will become that floating mirage. The boat bumped into the shore. Nico looked up in surprise and saw Cerebus growling. With all three heads. Nico obviously was going to have to break out a karaoke machine if he didn’t want to get turned into a chew toy. He clambered out of the boat and touched the bangle. It gave a slight buzz as if to affirm it was still working. Nico steadied himself and closed his eyes.

The other night, dear,  
When I lay sleeping  
I dreamed I held you in my arms.  
When I awoke dear,  
I was mistaken  
And I hung my head and cried

Cerebus whined low in his throats and laid down. Nico patted each one of his noses and walked into the familiar part of the Land of the Dead.

He walked a while until he reached his father’s palace. He was admitted into the throne room and bowed respectfully. 

“Father and Lord.” Nico said in a clear voice that carried, “I have come to ask you and Lady Persephone to allow me to complete the journey Orpheus undertook and to bring a soul back to the surface.”

Hades leaned forward. “My son. It is not often I release those who have made the journey here.”

“I am aware of that.” Nico said, “That is why I have come with a payment. I am not as skilled as Orpheus but my heart is true.”

Persephone’s eyes gleamed. “Nico please, sing for us.” Hades began to object but she stopped him. “It’s been so long since we have had music.”

Nico drew a shaky breath and blushed. The guy that ferries souls down the river Styx? Sure. The giant three headed dog? No problem. What’s that? Sing in front of dad? Awkward. But he conjured up a mental image of Will, he couldn’t fail him. Nico had lost too many people to give up. He channeled all his sadness and frustration into his voice.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine  
You make me happy when skies are gray  
You'll never know dear, how much I love you  
Please don't take my sunshine away.

The other night dear, as I lay sleeping  
I dreamed I held you in my arms  
But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken  
So I hung my head and I cried.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine  
You make me happy when skies are gray  
You'll never know dear, how much I love you  
Please don't take my sunshine away.

You were my sunshine, my only sunshine  
You made me happy, when skies were grey  
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you  
Because they took my sunshine away

Persephone was leaning on Hades’ arm tears flowing. Nico’s dad was weeping openly. He wiped his eyes and nodded. The Lord of the Dead placed a hand on Nico’s shoulder.

“I’ll send Will to follow you, basic rules don’t look back blah blah. I have faith in you. Its about time you got here. All I’ve been hearing is Nico this and Nico that and ‘I’m not going to be judged I’m waiting here until Nico comes and gets me.’ You’ve got a handful there son, I’m not gonna lie.”

Nico nodded, “Tell me about it.” 

Hades laughed then sobered. “Nico, what you just did was incredible. You may not play the lyre or be able to make rocks cry but you put your emotions and heart into your song. The importance is not being able to do something, the importance lies in putting your heart into what you are doing. If you can’t do that, what you are doing isn’t really worth it.”

Nico bowed respectfully and walked stiffly out. He kept his gaze focused straight ahead of him. He was terrified of accidentally looking back or catching a glimpse of Will. Nico marched past Cerebus and onto the now empty ferry. Charon rowed smoothly toward the light and Nico closed his eyes. He was so close and couldn’t bear to lose Will. The sunlight hitting his face was like Will’s smile. He kept facing straight ahead until Charon clapped him on the shoulder.

“You did good kid. Now go back to camp. Here, take the shadow. He’ll be waiting for you.’

Nico couldn’t breathe. He dove headfirst into the shadow and popped out in his cabin. He dumped his sword and crashed through the cabin doors. Someone was waiting for him in the doorway of the infirmary. You. Here. Now.

Nico ran as fast as he could.

***

He didn’t slow down when he reached Will. Nico had to touch him to make sure he was real. Will cupped Nico’s face in his hands brushing his fingers over Nico’s sharp cheekbones. They stood there for a second then Nico pulled Will down.

The kiss was soft and deep. They didn’t go full out french but it wasn’t exactly g rated. The feelings of loneliness and loss went away. The hurt and the fear and the anger dissipated. All that was left was the two of them. Perfect and whole, the two halves fitted together. The sun seemed to burn brighter in pride and acceptance of the two teens.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…


End file.
